Sporting Kansas City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2017 MLS Regular Season
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City
Saturday, September 30 – 9 pm ET
WATCH: TSN in CAN, MLS LIVE in US
Consider their midweek, 3-0 loss to foes the Seattle Sounders a blip – the Vancouver Whitecaps are still sitting on top in the West. They've managed that without a wave of league-wide hype, and, in fact, they said last week they might prefer it that way. Coming away from Seattle without any points makes their position at the top of conference a little more tenuous. With just 48 points, they've got no less than three teams – the Portland Timbers, Seattle, and Sporting Kansas City – each nipping at their heels with 47.
So no doubt, Sporting KC's got plenty on the line for this match at home, where they've continued to prove extra-strong. Besides their US Open Cup win, they haven't lost a match in the last 24. Rest assured, though, they're not taking this match-up lightly – SKC head coach Peter Vermes himself recently called the 'Caps the "hottest team in MLS."
Both teams have almost surely booked their playoff position, though, so now it's a question of seeding. Who can finish the fight to secure the best slots?
Sporting Kansas City
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- Int’l Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: F - Cameron Porter (broken fibula and ligament damage in right ankle 8/2, out for season), M - Soni Mustivar (hamstring strain)
Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Tim Melia — Graham Zusi, Ike Opara, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic — Roger Espinoza, Ilie Sanchez, Jimmy Medranda — Gerso Fernandez, Diego Rubio, Latif Blessing
Notes: Sporting Kansas City enter this weekend’s showdown on a 24-game home unbeaten run, the third-longest such streak in MLS history. … Diego Rubio has three goals and an assist in Sporting’s last two games, as many as he had in his first 24 games with the club.
Vancouver Whitecaps
- Suspended: M Tony Tchani (red card)
- Suspended after next caution: M Tony Tchani
- Int’l Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: D - David Edgar (PCL, MCL tear), M - Matias Laba (torn ACL 8/12, out for season)
Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: David Ousted — Sheanon Williams, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Marcel De Jong — Russell Teibert, Tony Tchani — Cristian Techera, Yordy Reyna, Christian Bolaños — Fredy Montero
Notes: The Whitecaps earned a 2-0 win in their most recent meeting with Sporting Kansas City on May 20. This snapped a franchise-worst five-game winless streak against them (4L-1D). Vancouver are winless in MLS play at Kansas City (4L-1D).
All-Time Series
- Overall: Kansas City 6 wins (19 goals) … Vancouver 4 wins (15 goals) … Ties 1
- At SKC: Kansas City 5 wins (11 goals) … Vancouver 0 wins (6 goals) … Ties 1
Referees
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referees: Adam Garner, Kevin Klinger
Fourth Official: Younes Marrakchi
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Edvin Jurisevic
